In a Galaxy far far away…..
Disney gifted us with Batuu!
Star Wars fans have been going wild since Disney announced this new addition to Hollywood Studios. Having married a huge Star Wars fan, I knew that we would be making a special trip soon after it opened.
Imagine my surprise when we received an email inviting us to a special preview for Annual Passholders! We packed our bags and drove down to the happiest place on earth.
Galaxy’s Edge takes you into the unique planet of Batuu. Upon entry we received a pamphlet filling us in on Batuu’s alphabet and a few key phrases we needed to know:
Bright suns= Good morning/day
Rising Moons= Good Evening
Til the spires= Casual Farewell
May the spires keep you= Formal Goodbye
One of the first people we saw upon entry was none other than Chewbacca!
We made our way down the streets of Batuu, and we loved seeing these Pod racers on display!
On our left, we finally got to see where all the action was. Black Spire Outpost welcomed us to the planet by immersing us into their marketplace.
If you look closely you can see their letters are written on the building. You can translate their language to ours by using the code you were given upon entry.
Toto, we aren’t in Kansas anymore… We are in Batuu!
Walking through this outpost was truly an experience. I didn’t know where to look because there was so much to see and do. There are shops along both sides that carry anything a young Jedi could wish for.
We decided to start with some food to pace ourselves, because we knew that we wanted to try many of their snacks and drinks during our stay.
On every review I read prior to our preview, I was told that the Ronto wrap was the way to go. We headed over to one of the dining areas to get a early morning snack.
This wrap came out to $12.99 and was worth every penny, but more on that in a minute.
When we entered this dining area we immediately saw huge cuts of meat roasting in the center of the room. While Tim was ordering our snack, a resident of Batuu began to tell me that there was a droid that was in charge of roasting the meat all day long.
He knew he had an important job, but his true passion was to be a DJ. He had me cracking up at this detailed story when my husband brought over our food.
The Ronto wrap delivered and exceeded my expectations! It features roasted pork, grilled pork sausage, peppercorn sauce, tangy slaw, and all of this deliciousness is wrapped in Pita bread. We decided to split it, like we always do, so that we could stay hungry for later in the day. 10/10 would order again!
Droid Depot
Are you a fan of R2-D2 or BB-8? Make sure to stop by the droid depot and see where all the magic happens!
Here you can pick each part and make your own droid. Each one will cost $99.99 + tax, and you will need to make a reservation to participate in this experience.
You can also build your own Lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop. This Jedi experience will cost you $200, which seems a bit pricey to us, but every review I have read has said that it was worth it. Maybe someday!
We didn’t end up making a droid on this trip, we opted to spend our money at Oga’s Cantina instead, but we loved browsing the shop and appreciated all of the little details.
First Order Cargo
Are you ready to join the Dark Side?
If you dare support the resistance in this area filled with Stormtroopers, be prepared to be confronted and possibly be taken captive.
When Timothy went to ask for a photo with this First Order officer, he quickly zeroed in on my Leia outfit.
He then scolded me for using recording devices and told Timothy that if I didn’t stop recording I would be taken captive and reprogrammed.
Make sure to keep an eye out for Kylo Ren walking the streets. You can normally find him interrogating well meaning visitors and asking them to join the dark side.
Oga’s Cantina
Are you ready for the highlight of our day at Galaxy’s Edge?
You are sure to feel the force when you enter this lively bar! Here you can find drinks worthy of any Jedi master. Due to the popularity of this spot during the preview, we were first told a few of Oga’s house rules:
- We had 40 minutes to enjoy Oga’s Cantina.
- There was a 2 drink maximum per person.
- No yielding Lightsabers in the bar.
We hadn’t made a reservation in advance, but we were lucky to be able to grab a standby spot.
There was so much to take in once we entered Oga’s! Tanks with different creatures, energetic music, and a plenty of drinks to go around.
I started off with the Fuzzy Tauntaun, but first our waitress made sure to tell me that this drink was not safe for human consumption. She said that it may even cause a tingly reaction if you are brave enough to drink it.
I soon found that she was right! Within my first couple of sips, the fizz on top caused my lips to tingle. I enjoyed the taste of this drink, but I honestly could not taste any alcohol in it, which is not what you want if you are paying $16 for a drink.
My second drink was the Jedi Mind Trick. I enjoyed this one much more than the first! This fruity drink was the refreshment I needed on such a hot August day.
Tim started off with the Outer Rim. This is a delicious fruity margarita topped with a blood orange foam.
For his second drink, he decided to try the T-16 Hopper. This drink was extra sweet and extra delicious!
We were thoroughly entertained during our time at Oga’s Cantina, and a huge part of that was due to the house DJ. This little guy kept the party going! The only way I can think to describe the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was over the moon to be there and in a good mood. We didn’t want to leave, but we knew it was time to let some other passholders enjoy the magic.
Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
Next, we made our way to the main eatery here in Batuu.
We weren’t extremely hungry, so we opted for a lighter option: the Roasted Endorian Tip-Yip Salad.
This is about as tasty as a salad gets. We loved this yummy offering and would definitely order it again. Now… off to the Millennium Falcon!
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
This new ride takes place in the iconic Millennium Falcon. This life size ship stays true to the films and transports you to a galaxy far far away.
Upon boarding, you will be given your mission. You can also expect an appearance by the lovable Chewbacca.
My favorite part of the line queue was walking through the halls of the Millennium Falcon. Talk about magical!
This hallway will take you to a room where you will wait to start your adventure. There are 3 positions that you may given on the ride: Pilot, Gunner, or Engineer.
We requested to be the Pilots on our first ride, which I highly recommend! This spot will give you the best view and adds to the experience.
Smugglers Run is a cross between Mission Space and Star Tours. Overall, I enjoyed this ride, but I left a little underwhelmed. It was a relatively tame simulator, and I can’t wait until the other Star Wars ride opens in December.
Galactic Treat
The moment we have all been waiting for….Blue milk!
You can find this little stand by the First Order Cargo.
Fans have been wondering since 1977 what Star Wars’ Blue Milk tastes like, and we finally have our answer.
You can choose between the blue or green milk, which each have a unique flavor. In addition, for a few more dollars you can get the drink with rum or tequila.
We opted to try the classic version that we had dreamed about since the original.
Ready for the truth? We strongly disliked the taste. This option tastes like a watered down sweet tart, and I don’t see myself ordering it again.
I have heard through the grapevine that the green version is not any better and reminds them of perfume. But hey, cute photo op right? I am glad we got to try it at least once.
Galactic Merchandise
We headed back to the marketplace as our preview came to a close.
The theming of this entire area immersed us into the Star Wars universe. At each shop, you can find souvenirs that are sure to bring a smile to your little ones face….or even your own. Aren’t we all kids at heart?
One thing that you have to get while in this area is these special Coke bottles! No item is safe from the masterful theming of Galaxy’s Edge. If Coke is not your go to drink, you can also find themed Sprite and water bottles.
Important note: Feel free to interact with the cast members (the citizens of Batuu). Each person has their own backstory and role to play in this universe. This was one of our favorite parts of the land because it helped you feel like you had truly entered another world.
Final Thoughts
Galaxy’s Edge is like no other land Disney offers. While many were disappointed by the small space of Toy Story Land and felt it was opened too soon, there is no doubt that Batuu was ready to host park goers.
This new area transports you into the heart of the franchise loved by many. I didn’t grow up watching Star Wars, but I still found myself in awe of the details of Galaxy’s Edge. From the quick service restaurants, marketplace, characters, and the Millennium Falcon, Disney has proved that they know how to give fans a little extra magic.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge officially opens August 29th, 2019. So grab your little Jedi’s and squeeze in a Star Wars marathon, you are in for a wild ride!
looks like a lot of fun ! Thanks for sharing !!
Ahhh so jealous!! This looks like so much fun!!!! I a huge Star Wars fan and I can not wait to visit the park one day!
This must have been an incredible experience. Love the way you’ve captured it all.
That is so awesome you can make your own droid! Maybe you can do that next time and share the experience. All of the details were amazing!
Finfd it amazing to know that parks are open specifically for characters. There’s toy story, star wars and so on. Mind blowing.
I’ve been to Disney World over 100 times and Star Wars Weekends were always my favorite times to go. Can’t wait to get down there to check this out!
Such a fun place and the attention to the details, like the Coke bottles, too fun. Disney does it like no other.
What a blast! I have to be honest, I’ve never watched a Star Wars film in my life but this place looks so cool! I absolutely love how the cast members were always approaching people & that they had so many stories to tell, especially the one where you were waiting for your pita wrap. The Cantina’s drinks sound & look delicious! I wonder if it will always be limited to 40 min & 2 drinks or if that was just for the preview?
I think it was probably just for the preview! at least I hope:) The Cantina was definitely my favorite part! I was never much or a Star Wars fan either, so that just shows how amazing this land really is!:)
i’m a huge star wars nerd, this had to be such a fun place!
It was a blast! I hope you get to go someday soon!